Rotary axial vane compressor



,@. 28, 1948. A D. L. BALL 2,457,298

ROTARY AXIAL mm COMPRESSOR Filed Oct. 5, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR:

wry/0 Zfl V/J 5414 BY ATTORNEYS D. L. BALL ROTARY AXIAL VANE COMPRESSOR Dec. '28, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1944 INVENTOR. fiAV/fi ([W/J 5/111 WITNESSES ATTOR NEYS Patented Dec. 28,1948 f-. h:

David -llewisg' Ball, San Luisobispoi Calif. :Application Octkiber; 5, 1944:, se ial Ne.f55f7 ,'24s

This invention relates to rotary compressors, pumps and motors; I

Its principal object is to provide a rotary com-.- presson pum-p and motor whichhas a relatively higher *volumetric capacity than have-conventional rotary machines of the same general type and-size. I? i l Another object is the provision of a rotary come pressonpump and motor which is 'capablepf eflicient operation at a higher rate-of speedthan is the case with conventional machines :of .the

same type... "v 4' V.

A further object is to provide a rotary compres-i sor, pump and motor .whose stator alone carries the eccentric or cam surfaces whichengage the vanes, the rotor being "concentrically uniformin all respects; l M a;

Still another object is the provision of a-rotary compressor, pump and motor! whoserrotor comprises, an'd' serves the function of, a flywheel;

A still further object is the provision ofa' rotary compressor, Pump and motor whose vanes are actuated solelyby means ofthe cam surfaces by which they are'engaged. :1. 3 i

Another 'object still is to provide a'rotarycome pressor, pump .and motor. in which: the removal of shims-compensates for the 'wearof the moving parts.

These and otherob'jects are attained by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figura -'1 is a vertical, longitudinal section; of the entire device; 1-

Figure 2 is a horizontal section thereof on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure. is a vertical, transverse section thereof on the line 3-3 of Figurel; i

Figure 4 is a perspective view -'of one of-gthe cam plates or rings which engage the vanes, shown together with the end plate of the housing to'which-it is aflixed;. y if" ""531 i .Figure 5. 1s .a .perspectivegviewz'of one vanes; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotor mounted on the rotor shaft, showing the vanes carried by the rotor.

The device herein disclosed and claimed may be used as a compressor, as a pump or as a motor. In each case the mechanism would be the same. Since this is the case, for the sake of convenience, the device will hereinafter be referred to as a compressor and described as such.

Essentially the device consists of a rotor l and a stator 30. The rotor comprises a vanecarrying wheel H which is integral with a drum ,afllaimsg (01.230-152) t I2, the wheel being coaxial withthedrum and mounted centrally thereof. The two are uniformlyproportion'ed in all respects, their outer peripheral surfacesbeing, respectively, equidistant at all points from their common axis." The two sides of the wheel are perfectly flat andper} fec'tly'parallel toeach other f and situated at right angles to the peripheral surface; A "plurality 'ofuniformly spaced radial slots' l3' is formed in the wheel to'receive an equal number of vanes l4; There is close tolerance yet slidable clearance between the sides'of the vanes -"and those of the s'l0ts. T Each vane It comprises three elements which are'dowel'ed and screwed together; an outer hori zont'al member l having a convex upper surface, an inner-horizontal member l6 having a concave loWer 'face," and a removable shim member H "which is'situated .between the lower face of the outermember and the upper fac'e'of theinner memberi- Dowel pins' l8 andcountersunk screws 19 join the-three members and hold'them' in lines The complete vane'eomprises a unit which has-four perfectly'flat sides, the adjacent of said sides being at right angles to each other,:the opposite of said sides being parallel to'each'other. The upper (convexy surface is .c'oncentric'with the' lower (c'oncaveysurfacep y The drum of the r-otor is fixedly mounted on a sleeve-20 which in turn is fixedly mounted on a "rotor shaft 2|. The rotor shaft is. carried by .a pairiof adjustable bearings 22 which are affixed to a base member 23. "Since the device is now beingcon'sidered as a compressor, the rotorshaft is'conneoted'to an electric motor or tofany'other suitable source of motive power (not shown) by meansofia pulley belt (not shown) which-en'- gages the pulley 24 shown' 'mounted on'the rotor shaft. i

'Thestator "comprisesa pair'of cam plates 3| which flank the wheel H of the rotor, a pressure =ring' 32--which-encirc1es the wheel ll concentric relation thereto, a' pair of side plates 33 which are mounted on the drum H of the rotor and are affixed to the pressure ring 32 and to the base 23, and inlet and outlet ports 34 and 35 respectively. Removable shims 36 are inserted between the side plates on the one hand and the pressure ring and base on the other. Packing rings 31 are inserted betwen the side plates and the rotor .drum to prevent leakage of the fluid but to permit of rotary movement of the drum relative to the side plates. The pressure ring, the base and the side plates comprise the housing of the stator.

ram plates engage.

The cam plates comprise a pair or parallel plates which are affixed by means of welding or cam plates.

The inner faces of the canted cam platesare formed of an infinite number of radial lines, each of which bears at right angles toithe miter peripheral surface of the drum andthe inner peripheral surface of the pressure ring. All

corresponding radial lines of the two cam-plates lie in parallel relationship to each other and to the oorrespondingrsides (if-vanes -14 which the The distance ,between .said completes at all points is equal :-to the "width-of the'aanes. FI-helength-cf each-said radial :line tie-equal to the height of the vanes. The cam platesere so situated relative to the rotor wheel 1-] that-the latter is slidable contact with the former at :two diametrically opposite points.

Flanking these contact pointsare hiletend outiaetports '34 and respectively Theselmay hewseien clearly inqFigure 4. An inlet-pipe '38 1s monnectedto each "inlet port and an outlet pipe 39 is connected to each outlet port. The rshims perform a useful function. Shimmember H, .forwexample, may be inserted tomcrease'theiheight 0f vane it by way .of compensation for wear either ofthe curved surf aces of the wane, or of the outer peripheral surface of the drum orwof the inner peripheralasmxface ofthe pressure ring-or of all 'of' said surfaces combined. Shims -36 may lie-removed to shorten the-distance separating the two cam ;:plates ."in order to-acompensatelfor wear -tof the inner faces hissaiid plateszor of theside surfaces "ofrtheivanes which said-plates engage, or of saidrfaces and hidexsurfeces combined;

The device-functions :in the following manner. The electric motor iotlrer source of-unotive .POWGITQEHSBSTHIG rotor :shaft'and hence the rotor to rotate. :The -vanes which the rotor :carries, move -together with the motor, being iprevented lfmm leaving .the slots by :the pressure ring and the nam xplates. addition, the; vanes are museditormove iromside toside iniresponse :to themassive actionof the cam plates. In :consequence of such movement, martial wacuuins rare created behind the moving vanes-and compresareas are :set :up in front. of them. The effect is to suck fluids into the space or chamber :behindthe moving vanes through the :inletmurts, andato force;the fluids out'of the space enechame K1161 in i-f-ront :of the-movi evames -throughwthe :outlet ports. It will bezseen that ithe-iconstrum 4 tion of the rotor provides it with an additional function, that of a flywheel. It will be seen further that the sole actuating force of the vanes is provided by the engagement therewith of the cam plates.

The embodiment of the invention herein described is only one preferred form thereof. Modifications may be incorporated therein without departing from the principles thereof. For example, insteadcf the three vanes'showin in the drawing, two or f'our or -any other number may be used. Also the cam plates may be difierently "formed and disposed as long as the described cam .surtacesare incorporated therein.

1 claim:

"1'. In :a machine of the character described, a vaneeomprisingan outer member having a convex top edge, an inner member having a concave 1 bottmn edge, a shim positioned between the two members, and means holding said members and sm'iishimztogetheri r 2. A vane for a fluid motor. (or compressor comprising 23.11 ontemnember having a convexztop edge, anrinnerrmember having a concave bottom edge'land 'a shim member situated between the bottom edge auf themuter member and .the :top edge of the inner member, said members-being detachahly fastened-together, bymeans-of screws. 7 3. :A fluid motor :orpcmpressor-comprising .a rotor :and stator, radial slots-formed- .inzsaid motor rand vanes slidabl-y :in :said slots each of said vanes comprising an outenmember having nconvex rpressure :ring engaging surface, an imier memberrhaving-a concave rotorengag- 7 ins suriacegashimpositioned between saidiouter and lnner members and means ifor A fastening said outer and inner members and saidflshim together astator aconsisting :of?.-an imperformate .pressune'" ring. which encircles the :rotor and cwhichienga gesdihe router edge of the vanes,

side-plates connectedrfto said {pressure .I'ing and a pair-orcain plates fastened'torthe inside of; said side plates, said camrcplatesbeing' 'mounteddn canted position relativetoxthegaxis :of the rrotor,

' said can :plates parallel vane engaging 

